Container



Mm cfln M, 3933. Y 2. 5. FITZHUGH CONTAINER Filed March 21, 1932 @atented Mar. 14, 1933 PATENT OFFICE GEAMPE GERALDINE FITZHUGH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

' CONTAINER Application filed March 21, 1932. Serial No. 600,287.

This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to containers of the type used for viscous liquids such as edible oils.

Containers of the type heretofore used for liquids of this character, as, for example, vegetable oils commonly, used in cooking, have been generally unsatisfactory, first, because of a'lack of adequate pouringmeans which would permit the contentsof' the container to be poured easily and accurately, and without messing up the top of the container, which pouring means would also not interfere with the packing ofcontainers for shipment,.and secondly, because of a lack of,

proper facilities for protecting the contents against foreign matter, such as dust, after the container was initiallyopened.

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide a container of novel construction which embodies both improved pouring means and a protective cover for the pouring orifice, and which is easy and inexpensive of manufacture.

Another object is to provide a novel top for a container, made from an integral piece of material, which includes a pouring spout made integral with but being flexibly joined to the remainder of the top so that it may be bent either to a position where it overlies the top of the container in a substantially fiat position, and hence does not interfere with the packing of containers for shipment, or to an outwardly extending position in which it may be used for pourin the contents from the container.

A further object is to provide a container top of new and improved construction wherein the portion in which is located the pouring orifice is punched upwardly or outwardly from the remainder of the top and is so located with respect to a pouring spout that the contents of the container may be poured easily and accurately without messing up the top surface of the containerf Still another object is to provide a container having a top of this novel construction with a removable cover member which may be placed over the pouring orifice so asto protect it from foreign matter when it 18. not in use. i

These and other objects will appear more fully from a consideration of the detailed description of the invention which follows. Although only one embodiment of the inyention has been described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it will be understood that this drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not to be construed'as a limitation of the invention, reference being bad for this purpose to the appended claims.

1n the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a container provided with a top embodying one form of the present invention, the protective cover member being shown lifted from its normal position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the container of Fig. 1 with the pouring spout bent inwardly mtg normal shipping or storage position; an

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

According to the embodiment of the in vention shown in the drawing, a container, such as is commonly usedfor vegetable and so other oils, comprises a substantially, rectangular body portion 4 having a bottom portion (not shown) and to the upper edges of which is secured a top, indicated generally at 5, of a novel construction constituting one form of the present invention. The top 5 is preferably made out of a single integral piece of material, usually metal, stamped or otherwise formed into the shape disclosed.

of the container, it forms a liquid-tight closure for the up r end thereof.

In order that the contents of the container may be easily poured therefrom, a part of end wall portion 6 closely adjacent any part of the periphery thereof is punched outwardly or upwardly so as to form an outwardly projecting portion 8, the upper surface of wlnch is located in a plane slightly above the level of the top of upstanding marginal portion 7 of top 5. As'shown, punched-out portion 8 is substantially rectangular in shape, but it will be understood that this shape may be varied as desired. In the upper surface of punched out portion 8 closely adjacent to marginal portion 7 is provided a pouring orifice oroutlet 9 and, if desired, a similar venting orifice 10 which is preferably located closer to the center of to 5 than pourinlg orifice 9. V

ormed integra y with marginal portion 7 of top 5, at a point immediately adjacent punched-out" portion "8 and pouring orifice 9,

1s a uring spout portion 11 of any desired confi guration. The section of material indicated at 12 in Fig. 3 is, if not naturally flexible, so treated as to become flexible so that spout portion 11 may be bent inwardly and outwardly about this section as a hinge or pivot, so as either to overlie punched-out portion 8, its normal shippin and stora e position, or to extend outwar y at an ang e thereto. in pouring position. Pouring spout portion 11 is also preferably provided with side pieces 13 which are spaced sufiiciently far apart that when said spout portion is bent'mwardly these side pieces pas freely outside of and enclose the substantially vertical sides of punched-out portion 8.

In order to prevent dust and other foreign matter from entering the'container or from gathering around uring and venting orifices 9 and 19, especlally after the container has first been opened, a removable cover member 14 has been rovided which is of the same shape as punc ed-out portion 8 and the inner dimensions of which are such that it has a telescopic frictional fitwlth the substantially vertical sides of said punchedout portion. When placed in telescopic engagement with punched-out rtion 8, cover member 14 provides an e cient air and li uid-teifht closure for orifices 9 and 10 and e ectiv y prevents any foreign matter from entering the container or around orifices 9 and 10.

With this construction, when the congathering in and I tainer is filled at the factory, cover member 14 is placed over punched-out portion 8 and spout member 11 is bent inwardly to a substantially horizontal position overlying both punched-out portion 8 and its cover member 14, side pieces 13 passin outside of and enclosing the vertical sides 0 said memher. In this position, containers may be compactly packed for shipment and spout member 11 also serves to prevent accidental displacement of cover member 14. When it is desired to use the contents of the container, spout member 11 is bent outwardly to pouring position, as shown in Fig. 1, cover member 14 is removed, and the contents of the container are oured through orifice 9 onto the surface 0? spout member 11 and directed thereby in the manner desired. If all of the contents of the container are not removed therefrom initially, cover member 14 may be replaced to prevent contamination of the contents by foreign matter, and the container may be stored away with spout 11 either in its pouring position or in its inwardly bent position.

There is thus disclosed by the present invention a novel ,form of top for containers, particularly containers for liquids such as oils, which is highly economical of manufacture in that it may be formed from a single integral piece .of material, and which is so constructed as to embody novel pouring means which render dispensing of the contents of the container a simple, efiicient and clean operation. The portion of the container top in which the pouring orifim; is located is punched outwardly from the remainder of the top I and located closely adjacent a spout member which is flexibly, though integrally, connected to the upstanding marginal portion of the top by which the latter is secured to the body of the container. Also, a removable cover member has been rovided for the punched-out portion in w ich the pouring orifice is located, which member protects the contents of the container. against contamination by dust.

pear to those skilled in the art, may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is: V 1. An end closure for a container comprising an end wall portion adapted to close the end of the container, and outstanding marginal ortion .adapted for securement' to the e ges of the container sides, a unched-out portion adjacent said outstandmg marginal portion raised above the level of said end wall portion and having a pour? ing orifice therein, and a spout portion flexibly connected to said marginal portion adjacent the position of said punched-out portion and adapted to normally overlie said punched-up portion in "a position substantially parallel with said end wall portion but to be bent to "a position wherein it extends outwardly from said end wall portion at an angle thereto so as to form a pouring spoutfor the contents of said container pourable through said orifice in the punched-out portion, all of said portions being formed out of an integral piece of material.

2. A top fora container comprising a substantially horizontal portion adapted toclose the upper end of the container, an upstanding marginal portion adapted. for securing said top to the body of the container, a punchedup portion having its upper surface substantially level with the top of said marginal portion and having a pouring orifice in said surface, and a spout portion flexibly connected with said marginal portion adjacent the location of said pouring orifice in the punched-up portion and adapted :Eor bending into either a position overlying said punched-up portion or a position extending outwardly at an angle thereto so as ,to form a pouring spout for the contents of said container, all of said portions being formed from an integral piece of material. 7

3. A container having a top comprising a substantially horizontal portion adapted to close the end of the container, an upstanding marginal portion adapted for securing said top to the body of the container a punched-up portion raised above the leve of said horizontal portion and having a pouring orifice in its upper surface, a spout portion flexibly connected with said marginal portion adjacent the location of. said pouring orifice in the punched-up portion and adapted for bendin into either a position overlying said punc ed-up' portion or a position extending outwardly at an angle thereto so as to form a pouring spout for the contents of said container, all of said portions being formed from an integral piece of material, and a removable cover member adapted to fit over said punched-u portion and thereby close said pouring or' ce when not in use.

4. In a container a top therefor comprising a substantially horizontal portion adapted to close the end of the container, an

tion overlying said punched-up portion or a position extending outwardly at an angle thereto so as to form a pourmg spout for the contents of said container, all of said portions being formed from an integral plece of material, and a removable cover member adapted for telescopic engagement with said punched-up portion for closing said pouring and venting orifices when not in use.

5. A container having a top formed from an integral piece of metal, said top having a punched-out portion adjacent the periphery thereoi raised above the level of the rest of said top, a pouring orifice in said punched-out portion, and a pouring spout portion bendable with respect to the remainder of said top so as either to overlie said unched-out portion or'to extend outward y at an angle thereto so as to form a pouring spout for the contents of the container pourable through said orifice in the punched-out portion, and a removable cover member adapted to fit over said punchedout portion and thereby close said pouring orifice when not in use. I

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHAMPE GERALDINE Fl'l'Zl-IUGH.

upstanding marginal portion of inverted U-shape adapted for'securing said top to the body of the container, a punched-up portion raised above the level of said horizontal portionand having a pouring orifice and a venting orifice in its upper surface, a spout portion flexibly connected with said marginal portion adjacent the location of saidpouring orifice in the punched-up portion and adapted for bending into. either a posi- 

